Projectile projecting and catching device with backstop



Mum E, 1970 W. L. sum/Wm 3f fl PROJECTILE PHOJECTING AND CATCHING DEVICF WITH BACKS-TOP Filed March 30, 196'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR. WAYNE L. SRAM EK ATTORNEYS W. L. SRAMEK PROJECTILE PHOJECTING AND CAI'CHING DEVICE WITH BACKSTOP Sheets-Sheet Filed March 50, 1967 WAYNE L. SRAMEK AMAM s 488 056 PROJECTILE PRoJEoTiNG AND CATCHING DEVICE wrrn BACKSTOP Wayne L. Sramek, 501 Elm, Chetopa, Kaus. 67336 Filed Mar. 30, 1967 Ser. No. 627,099 Int. Cl. A63b 166/12 US. Cl. 273--96 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game apparatus requiring the exercise of manual dexterity and coordination in the tossing and catching of a ball or like object. The apparatus has a handle with a gripping portion, one end of which is connected to a receiver for the object and the other end is connected to an end portion for retaining and tossing a ball or object. A conveyor or transporting structure is arranged relative the receiver and operating to deliver the object to the end portion. A backboard is mounted on the handle adjacent to the receiver and a platform may be installed around the receiver. In use the object is to to toss a ball from the end portion into the receiver with or without engaging the backboard or the platform. The conveyor or chute conveys the ball from the receiver to the casting or end portion so that the process may be repeated.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a game apparatus of skill of movement and manipulation; to provide an apparatus having a ball, a receiver, an end portion to retain and toss the ball, a chute connecting the receiver and the end portion and a handle to assist in maneuvering the apparatus including a ball or the like with a bodily movable member having a ball catching portion; to provide such an apparatus wherein the ball is thrown and then the apparatus is maneuvered to catch the ball; to provide an apparatus of simple de sign and sturdy construction; and to provide an apparatus which is attractive and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus embodying the features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing one possible movement of the ball from the ball retaining and casting member toward the goal.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the apparatus taken on line 3-3, FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the apparatus taken on line 6-6, FIG. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a game apparatus requiring the exercise of manual dexterity and coordination in tossing an object such as a ball 2 and maneuvering the game apparatus 1 to catch said object or ball 2 in a receiver or goal 3. The game apparatus 1 is adapted to be used for amusement in testing the skill and ability of one or more players and the apparatus 1 is particularly adapted to developing muscular coordination and skill as in physical training and therapy. The apparatus 1 consists of a body member 4 having a handle portion 5 for holding and maneuvering the apparatus, a casting or end portion 6, the receiver or goal 3, and a portion such as a conveyor or chute 7 to return the object from the receiver 3 to the casting end 6.

United States Patent 0 3,488,056 Patented Jan. 6, 1970 hoe In the illustrated structure the body member 4 is an L-shaped member having an intermediate handle portion 5 and an upright leg 8 extending therefrom and a base leg 9 extending outwardly therefrom at the opposite end from said upright leg 8. The gripping portion or handle 5 is of a size and shape to be gripped by a persons hand and so positioned in the body 4 and related to the entire apparatus 1 that maneuvering and control thereof is facilitated, The balance thus obtained can be compared to the balance in hand weapons such as pistols. The base leg 9 is preferably a planar member of substantially triangular shape spaced downwardly from the handle portion 5 and having the apex 10 connected to a body portion 11 extending downwardly from the handle, said base leg 9 having sides diverging from said apex 10 to the casting or end portion 6.

The casting or end portion 6 is an extension of the base leg 9 and has an upwardly opening reces 12 which is elongate longitudinally of the base leg 9 and extends thereform generally in a plane defined by the portion of the body member 4. The recess 12 is of such a width that the object or ball 2 is retained therein laterally and of such a length that the object or ball 2 is freely movable longitudinally therein. It is preferred that the bottom 13 forming the recess is curved so the end 14 has a tangent extending upwardly so that the apparatus 1 may be maneuvered to toss or cast the ball 2 into the air in front of the apparatus 1 generally on a line indicated by the arrows 15.

The receiver or goal 3 may be in any suitable form but in the illustrated structure includes a circular opening 16 in a platform or member 17, said opening being of a diameter larger than the ball 2. The opening 16 is centered in the platform 17 which is shown as a planar member of rectangular shape. The platform 17 provides a surface for the ball 2 to bounce on, when the opening 16 is missed, thereby assisting in manipulating the apparatus 1 and the ball 2 to a position where the ball 2 enters the opening 16. The platform 17 is mounted on the upper end 18 of the upright leg 8 at substantially a right angle thereto and parallel to the base leg 9.

A backboard 19 is mounted on the upper end 18 of the upright leg 8 to serve as a backboard to the receiver in a manner similar to the backboard relative to the basket in the game of basketball. In the illustrated structure the backboard 19 is at an acute angle slightly less than a right angle to the platform 17. The angle between the backboard 19 and the platform 17 is shown as being in the nature of eighty degrees The backboard 19 is a planar member of rectangular shape which provides a surface for the ball 2 to bounce off of and into the opening 16. In the illustrated structure the backboard 19 is of the same width as the platform 17 and the opening 16 is centered relative to the sides 20 and 21 of said platform.

When the ball or object 2 passes through the opening 16 of the receiver it is conveyed or directed back to the casting end or recess 12 thereof for another toss. The guides or passage for the ball or object may be of any suitable structure such as spaced members, nets and the like; however, it is preferred that there be a defined passage such as a conveyor or chute 7 in the form of a tubular member which depends from the platform 17 and terminates adjacent to the casting or end portion 6 for conveying or moving the ball 2 from the opening 16 to the end portion 6. An upper end 23 of the chute 7 is of the same size as the opening 16 and the chute preferably decreases in size to an end 24 where the inside diameter is only slightly larger than the ball 2. The chute 7 has a section 25 extending from the receiver or goal 3 and terminates in an end 24 which section 25 is an inverted frustum of a cone. The chute 7 also includes a section 27 between the end 24 and the casting portion 6 said section 27 being cylindrical in shape. The section 25 is substantially perpendicular to the platform 17 and the section 27 is at an obtuse angle with the section 25 thereby reducing the velocity of the ball 2 during downward movement in the chute 7 and reducing the chance that the ball will bounce out of the recess 12. A lower end 28 of the section 27 preferably is connected to the casting or end portion 6 for added strength. In the illustrated structure the section 27 has an opening 29 in the forward portion adjacent the casting end 6 to permit the ball 2 to leave the chute 7 and enter the front or forward free portion of the recess 12 in said casting member 6.

The apparatus 1 may be constructed of any suitable material such as plastic, metal, wood, or cardboard and the ball 2 may be of rubber or other suitable material and may be solid or hollow; it is preferred that the ball 2 be of light weight structure so it may be maneuvered for catching in the receiver after being tossed. The parts of the apparatus 1 .may be molded in an integral structure or the parts may be separately manufactured and then assembled as for example the backboard 17 may be detachable and constructed of wood while the remainder of the apparatus 1 may be molded of plastic.

Many game systems may be used with the structure as for example players .may take turns or if each player takes the same number of tosses the winner would be the player with the most points. The game, of course, can be played in many other ways with the rules being decided upon by the players with or without handicaps.

In use the object is to toss or cast the ball 2 from the recess 12 into the opening 16 with or without engaging the backboard 19 or the platform 17. The ball 2 may bounce off the backboard 19 as shown in FIG. 2, or the ball 2 may engage both backboard 19 and platform 17 before entering the opening 16 the paths just described each requiring progressively less skill and ability to accomplish. When the apparatus is used in a contest between two or more persons, a different number of points could be assigned to the respective paths thereby testing the skill of the players.

The game apparatus makes an excellent party game in which everyone can participate. Any number of ways can be devised for playing the game depending upon the number of players, number of apparatuses, time available, and the apparent degree of skill of the players involved.

It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus for manipulation and bodily movement in tossing an object and catching same comprlsmg:

(a) a body member having an end portion adapted to have a throwable object in the form of a spherically shaped ball rest thereon,

(b) said body member having a handle portion usable to bodily move same and toss an object from said end portion into the air,

() said end portion having an upwardly opening recess that is elongate extending away .from said handle portion, with the end portion recess of a width that said throwable object is freely movable therein and cast from an outer portion thereof,

(d) a receiver on the outer end of the body member, said receiver being adapted to receive the object thrown from the end portion, said receiver having an opening that is circular and of larger diameter than said object,

(e) said receiver being mounted in a platform extending outwardly therefrom,

(f) a backboard mounted on said body member and forming an acute angle with the platform, whereby said object may be bounced off the platform and caught in the circular receiver, and

(g) means between the receiver and the end portion for movement of the throwable object caught in the receiver to the end portion, where the end portion recess is adapted to receive same.

2. A game apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means between said receiver and said end portion is an elongate chute having a diameter which decreases from said circular receiver to said concave end portion, whereby the velocity of said ball is reduced as the ball descends in the chute thereby maintaining the ball in the end portion.

3. A game apparatus for manipulation and bodily movement in tossing a ball and catching same including:

(a) a body member having an upwardly concave end portion adapted to retain the ball therein,

(b) said body member having a handle portion with a gripping portion therein, said handle being usable to bodily move same and toss the ball from the end portion into the air,

(c) a circular receiver mounted on the other end of the body member, said receiver being adapted to receive the ball tossed from the end portion,

((1) an elongate tubular chute depending from the circularreceiver, said chute being connected to the end portion and having a diameter decreasing from the receiver to the end portion, whereby the ball is tossed from the end portion into the receiver and moves down the chute into the end portion,

(e) a backboard mounted on said body member adjacent said receiver, said backboard being a planar member, whereby the ball may be bounced off the backboard into the receiver, and

(f) a planar platform outstanding from said receiver with the receiver centered therein, said platform being connected to said body member adjacent to said backboard and forming an acute angle therewith, whereby the backboard and platform cooperate to maneuver the ball into the receiver.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,022,186 4/1912 Engler 273-96 1,582,811 4/1926 Adler 27396 2,165,914 7/1939 Batkin 27396 2,227,705 1/ 1941 Colucci 27396 2,510,403 6/ 1950 Krupp 27396 2,754,123 7/ 1956 Davidson 27397 3,392,978 7/ 1968 Wiest 27396 FOREIGN PATENTS 775,076 10/ 1934 France.

364,298 11/ 1922 Germany.

847,561 8/ 1952 Germany.

GEORGE J. MARLO, Primary Examiner M. R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner 

